Shohei Ohtani is fresh off of his MVP performance in the World Baseball Classic as he gears up for the upcoming MLB season with the Los Angeles Angels. And for the 2023 campaign, he will be the highest paid player in all of baseball.
According to an annual list released by Forbes this week, Ohtani will make a total of $65 million this year, a combined total of his on and off-field earnings. It will not only be the highest number of any player this season, but the highest payout to any MLB player ever for a single year.
Shohei Ohtani Set To Earn Over $65 Million This Year
The on-field earnings are easier to calculate. In order to avoid arbitration, Ohtani signed a one-year, $30 million contract with the Angels for the 2023 season. That number will rank him roughly 15th in the major leagues in largest annual payout for the impending campaign, but it is in his endorsements where he blows the rest of the field out of the water.
Ohtani is enjoying his ascent into global stardom, and he looks to be cashing in on his likeness. According to the Forbes report, he will earn an incredible $35 million (or more) simply in endorsement deals alone this year. For comparison, one of the highest annual endorsement earnings in recent memory were made by Bryce Harper, who made $6.5 million in 2022.
Baseball’s Highest-Paid Players 2023: Shohei Ohtani's MLB-Record Total Lands Him At No. 1 https://t.co/RqAcsx9L3e pic.twitter.com/MJc9MuUYlE
— Forbes (@Forbes) March 28, 2023
As for the rest of the list, Max Scherzer will be the highest earner on the field. The new Mets pitcher is scheduled to earn a total of $59.3 million in 2023, with just $1 million coming from endorsements. His teammate, Justin Verlander, comes in in 4th place with projected earnings of $44.3 million.
Given his apparently incredible knack for locking up endorsement deals, look for Shohei Ohtani to be the highest paid player next year and for the foreseeable future. He is set to hit free agency after the conclusion of the coming season, and figures to receive one of the most lucrative contracts in MLB history.
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